Ethersync

Ethersync aims to enable real-time collaborative editing of local text files. Similar to Etherpads, it facilitates multiple users to work on content simultaneously, enabling applications such as shared notes or pair programming.

Declared in: projects/Ethersync/default.nix

1. Install Nix
   Debian

   Bash

   $ apt install --yes curl git jq nix

   Ubuntu

   Bash

   $ apt install --yes curl git jq nix

   Arch

   Bash

   $ pacman --sync --refresh --noconfirm curl git jq nix

2. Download a configuration file

   # default.nix
   {
     ngipkgs ? import (fetchTarball "https://github.com/ngi-nix/ngipkgs/tarball/main") { },
   }:
   ngipkgs.demo-shell (
     { pkgs, ... }:
   
     {
       programs.ethersync.enable = true;
   
       programs.vscode = {
         enable = true;
         # vscodium because vscode is unfree
         package = pkgs.vscodium;
         extensions = [
           pkgs.vscode-extensions.ethersync.ethersync
         ];
       };
   
       programs.neovim = {
         enable = true;
         configure = {
           packages.ethersync = {
             start = [
               pkgs.vimPlugins.ethersync
             ];
           };
         };
       };
     }
   
   )
   

   Download
3. Enable binary substituters

   Bash

   $ export NIX_CONFIG='substituters = https://cache.nixos.org/ https://ngi.cachix.org/
   trusted-public-keys = cache.nixos.org-1:6nchdd59x431o0gwypbmraurkbj16zpmqfgspcdshjy= ngi.cachix.org-1:n+cal72roc3qqulxihpv+tw5t42whxmmhpragkrsrow='

4. Build and run the shell
   Debian Sid/Trixie

   Bash

   $ nix-build ./default.nix && ./result

   Ubuntu 25.04

   Bash

   $ nix-build ./default.nix && ./result

   Ubuntu 24.04

   Bash

   $ rev=$(nix-instantiate --eval --attr sources.nixpkgs.rev https://github.com/ngi-nix/ngipkgs/archive/master.tar.gz | jq --raw-output)

   $ nix-shell -I nixpkgs=https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/archive/$rev.tar.gz --packages nix --run "nix-build ./default.nix && ./result"

   Arch

   Bash

   $ nix-build ./default.nix && ./result

5. Usage Instructions

   1. First, create a directory with a subdirectory named .ethersync and run ethersync share, wait a few seconds it will print the secret key that can be used to connect to this server.

   2. Next, create another directory with a subdirectory named .ethersync, run echo peer="<secret-key>" >.ethersync/config, then ethersync join. The two directories are now connected.

   3. You can now edit files in one directory and the changes will be synchronized in the other. If you use Neovim, the instance in this shell has also been configured with the Ethersync plugin, so you can try using :EthersyncInfo and :EthersyncJumpToCursor.

{ pkgs, ... }:

{
  programs.ethersync.enable = true;

  programs.vscode = {
    enable = true;
    # vscodium because vscode is unfree
    package = pkgs.vscodium;
    extensions = [
      pkgs.vscode-extensions.ethersync.ethersync
    ];
  };

  programs.neovim = {
    enable = true;
    configure = {
      packages.ethersync = {
        start = [
          pkgs.vimPlugins.ethersync
        ];
      };
    };
  };
}

This project is funded by NLnet through these subgrants:

• Ethersync

Related links:

• Documentation
• Source repository